Experimental gravity induced coexistence curve of methyl fluoride near the critical point

Abstract

The top part of the coexistence curve of methyl fluoride in the critical region has been determined first by direct observation of the disappearance of the meniscus of the fluid situated in a high-pressure light scattering cell and subsequently from the measured maximum depolarization ratio of an appreciable number of isochores close to the critical point. The experimental data obtained from direct observations yield a coexistence curve which nearly coincides with that found recently from pVT measurements. However, the data obtained from light scattering experiments describe a gravity induced coexistence curve which lies above the previous one and which shows a minimum at the critical point. The complete experimental data have been used to evaluate the critical parameters p_c, ρ_c and T_c and the critical exponent β.